Walking cultivator



Oct. 21, 1952 c. B. MERRY 2,614,474

WALKING CULTIVATOR Filed April 25, 1949 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 Clay/on 3.Merry (Ittomeg Oct. 21, 1952 c. B. MERRY 2,614,474

, WALKING CULTIVATOR Filed April 25. 1949 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 f 2 2/ y 22/ i 2 z I w W I; 22 [9.

' 3nventor 27 C/a fonB. Merry Clttorneg Patented Oct. 21, 1952 UNITEDQFF'ICE WALKING CULTIVATOR Clayton BQMerI-y, Alderwood Manor, Wash;'AppIica'tionAm-il 25, 1949, Serial No. 89,421

1 The present invention relates to a walking cultivator supported onpowered earthworkin wheels suspended below the frame proper and servingto propel the machine as well as break the ground. More particularly,the cultivator utilizes a brake tooth in conjunction with theearthworking wheels which can be readily urged into the ground by theoperator to create a braking force for controlling the proportions ofthe power for any given throttle setting operating to perform thetilling and trac-tive functions of the earthworking wheels. Thisapplication is a continuation-impart of my abandoned application, Ser.No. 692,595, filed Augusttlt, 1946. I

Various walking cultivators have] appeared on the market which utilizedearthwork-mg wheels to forwardly propel the machine while they wereperforming their ground-breaking functions, but these 'cultivators wereextremely heavy and ditllcult to maneuver. ;Much of *their weight wassupported either on auxiliary wheels or by the operator, the formerbeing objectionable because the auxiliary wheels often sank in softground and otherwise created a drag making the machine more difficult tohandle and causing waste of power, and the latter perforce having theobjection that it unduly-burdened the operator. Furthermore, these priorcultivators-had a natural tendency to race over hard ground withoutperforming their tilling function, and this tendency was oftenaggravated by the factgthatmuch of.

the weight of the machines was not bearing down on theearthworking'wheels. When this racing action occurred the operator'wouldcutdownthe throttle setting of the power unit to slow'down thecultivator, and as a result the power would be reduced at the very timewhen it -was most needed tobreak up; the ground.

Claims.

on and forward of this case by means of the two angle irons 4, 5 and themotor pivot 6 is the motor I, The motor I is a standard air cooled fourcycle gasoline engine of about one and onehalf horse power. The drivepulley 8 of the motor is V-belted to a driver pulley 9 mounted on ashaft It journalled in the upper part of With these and other failingso'f theprior art in mind the present invention aims to provide a readilymaneuverable and highlyefficient walking cultivator of light weightwhichcan be controlled at will to till at various depthswithout the use ofauxiliary support. I N V I e A further aimof the invention is -toprovide sucha cultivator which-can dig to'a depth far exceeding theradius of its earthworking wheels. Other more and particularob'jects and"advantages will with the foregoing, appear and be understood in thecourse of the following description and claimathe invention consistingin the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafterdescribedand claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a erspective view of my walking 7 powered cultivator.

the housing I. The V-belt II is used .not only for the transmission ofpower but, also, as a clutch by pivoting the motor base on the pivot '6.Control of the motor swing is had'by the toggle link-I2. This togglelink has one end secured to'the motor head and the other end secured tothe handles I3. A cable control I 4 extends between the toggle link anda hand lever I5 mounted on the grip portion of one of the ham dles.Tension is, placed across the toggle link by the spring I6. This springpulls the motor toward the handles to declutch the motor when tension onthe'c'able I4 is released. The'handles I3 are of welded tubularconstruction and are bolted to the housing thru the flanges thereof.Secured to the rearward ends of the angle irons 4, 5 is a hitch IT inwhich there may be demountably fastened a brake tooth I8 having a flatfront face sloping forwardly somewhat and shaped so as to be easilyurged into the ground.

As shown in Figure 2, there are suitable mechanisms in the case I .totransmit power from-the drive pulley 9 mounted on the drive shaft 19inthe upper part of the housing to the driven shaft I9 mounted in thelower part of the housing I and extending thru, transversely of, andbeyond each side of the housing. Radially extending ground engagingtines 20 are mounted circumferentially of and longitudinally of theouter portions of the shaft and on each side of the housing. These tinesare made of a series of round bars each bent into a U-shapedunit andpreferably pointed somewhat. one leg of each unit is welded to theflange of a flanged hub 2 I, 22, One of these assemblies, or hubs, isplaced on each end of the driven shaft I9. The'hubs 2|, 22 are. fastenedto the driven shaft I9 by means ofpins 23, 24 extending thru each huband the shaft. The shape of each U-shaped unit may be varied from theothers on the hub so that the tines do not track one behind the other,but in effect cover the whole width of the cultivator. In theillustrated embodiment, as best shown in Fig. 2, two shapes of U-shapedunits are utilized, one having diverging tines and the other having itstines converging slightly. It will be noted that each of the weldeddiverging tines is bent so that its point tracks between the respectivehub flange and the housing, and that the other diverging tines tracklaterally beyond the outer ends of the hubs and the shaft I9. The lowerend of each case half 2, 3 carries a boss 25, 26 in which are arrangedsuitable bearings and oil seals for the driven shaft 19.

Secured to and medially of the driven shaft i9 is a driven shaftsprocket 27. Medially of the housing I is an intermediate cone sprockethaving a smaller sprocket 28 and a larger sprocket 29 secured togetherto form the cone sprocket. The cone sprocket turns on a sleeve 30.\Vashers space the ends of the sleeve from the case halves and take theend thrust of the cone sprocket. The washers and sleeve 30 are carriedon a bolt 3! that passes thru the case halves and a flange of each ofthe motor support angles 4, 5. The bolt is tightened so that the housinghalves 2, 3, washers and sleeve 36 are clamped together to preventmovement or turning of the sleeve and washers. A chain 32 is placedaround and between the intermediate smaller sprocket 28 and the drivensprocket 21. An upper bearing boss 33, 34 is secured to each case half2, 3 near its upper end. The drive shaft IE! is journaled in these upperbearing bosses. Outboard of the drive shaft i is the driven pulley 9.Inboard of the drive shaft I0 is a drive sprocket 35 which is secured tothe drive shaft ID. A chain 36 is placed around and between the drivesprocket 35 and the larger intermediate sprocket 29.

The operation of the power transmission train is to obtain a speedreduction at each step from the motor, that is, from the motor drivepulley 8 to the driven pulley 9, from the drive sprocket 35 to theintermediate larger sprocket 29, from the intermediate smaller sprocket28 to the driven sprocket 2?. With a motor operating at about 2,400 B.P. M., the value of the train is best at about one to thirty. With adiameter of about ten inches for the assembly of the ground engagingtines 29, the cultivator operates at a convenient walking speed.

For any given throttle setting the operator can control the amount oftillage performed by the rotating tines by controlling the depth of thebrake tooth I8 in the ground through downward pressure on the handles.If the earth is particularly hard or rocky the forward progress of themachine can be stopped altogether by the brake tooth in which case thetines will dig until the hubs are actually well beneath the groundlevel. This is possible because the housing I has a particularly narrowlateral width and the flanges of the hubs 2| are thin with both thehousing and the hubs having some of the tinesworking closely on bothsides thereof. Of some importance also in this regard is the fact thatthe tines project laterally beyond the ends of the shaft I9 and the hubs2 I, 22 thus assuring that the shaft and the hubs will not interferewith downward progress of the tines.

The cultivator is also particularly effective because the motor is sospaced forwardly of the rotary axis of the earthworking tines as tobalance the weight of the cultivator structure to the rear thereof. As aresult the center of gravity of the cultivator overlies the rotary axisso that the tines have the full benefit of the weight of the cultivator.At the same time this arrangement eliminates the need of any additionalsupport either by Wheels or by the operator, and leaves the operatorfree to steer the device and control its tilling action by varying thedepth of the brake tooth in the ground.

From the foregoing description it will appear obivous that thecultivator is much lighter in weight than its predecessors in the artbecause of its novel frame construction, light-weight earthworkingwheels, and smaller motor, and yet by the maximum use of its weight, theutilization of the brake tooth, and the lack of interference with theaction of the tines, more effective and deeper tillage is accomplishedwith far less expenditure of horsepower. I

If desired, conventional drag-type earthworking implements may befastened in the hitch ll instead of the brake tooth l8. In such a casethe rotary tined hubs 2|, 22 serve as traction wheels, or if desired,these hubs can be replaced by other rotary tractive devices.

It is thought that the invention and the manner of operation willbeclear from the foregoing detailed description of the now preferredembodiment. Changes in the details of construction may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the invention and it is accordinglymy intention that-no limitationsbe implied and that the hereto annexedclaims be read with the broadest interpretation to which the employelanguage fairly'admits.

Having thus set forth my invention, 1 claim:

1. A walking cultivator comprising a' frame providing a laterally spacedpair of longitudinal frame members, a drive housing secured between theframe members and extending'above and depending below said members,laterally extending shafts journal-mounted in the upper and lower endsof the drive housing, a power unit mounted on said frame membersforwardly of the drive housing, means for transferring power from thepower'unit to the upper said shaft,- and means in the drive housingfortransferring power from the upper shaft to the lower snafu-axiallyaligned earthworking wheels driven by the lower shaft at opposite sidesof the drive housing and each adapted to perform both tractive andtilling functions, the depending portion of said drive housing have anarrow width between its lateral faces.

2. A walking cultivator comprising a frame providing a laterally spacedpair of longitudinal frame members, a drive housing secured between theframe members and extending above'and depending below said members,laterally extending shafts journal-mounted in the upper and lower endsof the drive housing, a power unit mounted on said frame membersforwardly of the drive housing, reduction-drive means for transferringpower at a reduced speed from the power unit to the upper said shaft,reduction-drive means in the drive housing for carrying the power fromthe upper to the lower of said shafts at a further reduced speed, andaxially aligned earthworking wheels driven by the lower shaft atopposite sides of the drive housing and each adapted to perform bothtractive and tilling functions, the depending portion of said drivehousing having a narrow width between its lateral faces and suflicientlengthto'provide a generous clearance between the wheels and the framemembers.

3. The structure'gf 1 m high the second a sibe tween the longitudinalframe membe and in which thereis providedforsaid -sprocloet a journalmounting receiving its support direotly from said: m bers i risingrafframe n mense embers having flat inside jopposedfaces, ed narrowdrive housing secured i with I desbetween and in abutment with said a 0..51 .9: ei e em mbe sa r ieoti s laterally sprees ,p

,uppereand lower ends abo e and below said rs, a power unit mount. onsaid f; me

allyextending upper and lower shaftsviourii-alo unted'in theupperandlower ends of the drive housing, means fortransferring-powerfrom the power ,unit to the uppershafhrneans in the drive housin fortransferrin to -iIQm iu ne the-lower shaft, an earthworkins wheelsdriven by the lower shaft and carried thereby to occupy portions atopposite sides of the drive housing I 5. A walking cultivator comprisinga frame progether, a pair of rearwardly extending control handles eachhaving a forked root end with one of its fork branches being connectedto a respective frame member and the other fork branch being secured toan upper end portion of the peripherial flange of the respective saidhousing shell, a power unit mounted on the frame members forwardly ofthe drive housing, latcrally extending upper and lower shaftsjournalmounted in the upper and lower ends of the drive housing, meansfor transferring power from the power unit to the upper shaft, means inthe drive housing for transferring power from the upper to the lowershaft, and earthworking wheels driven by the lower shaft and carriedthereby to occupy positions at opposite sides of the drive housing.

6. A walking cultivator comprising a frame providing a laterally spacedpair of longitudinal frame members having flat inside opposed faces, aflat-sided narrow drive housing located with its flat sides between andin abutment with said flat faces of the frame members and with its endsextending above and depending below said members, means for holding theframe members and the drive housing together and including a tieboltpassing through the members and housing, a power unit mounted on saidframe members forwardly of the drive housing, laterally extending upperand lower shafts journal-mounted in the upper and lower ends of thedrive housing, a stepped cone sprocket journal-mounted on said tie-bolt,means for transferring power from the power unit to the said uppershaft, means in the drive housing for transferring power at a reducedspeed from the upper shaft to the larger sprocket of said cone sprocket,means in the drive housing for transferring power at a reduced speedfrom the smaller sprocket of said cone sprocket to the said lower shaft,and earthworking wheels driven by the lower shaftand s epped ersforwardly of the drive housinglaterfcarried thereby to occupy-*-positions at opposite sides of the drive housing. H n A walkingcultivator -co' nip'rising ="a"fra e provi ing: a"*laterally spaced*p'air of"longitudinal fra m members and a rearwardlyextendingcon trolharrdla a drive housin'g' secured between the frame -members' "andextending' above an'd -depending- *b'elow said' members, laterallyextend ing shafts journal mounte'd in the upperena v each adapted:toiperfo'rm both tractive :an'd- -till-' ing functions, and "braketooth means depend ing'from-thaframe :rearwardly of the said-wheels and.adapted'sto -be urged into the ground "to various depths by downwardpressure exerted on the icontrol handle 'while the cultivator 'is' beingsteeredto cre'ate a variable braking force whereby the power to thewheels is selectively apportioned between the said tractive and tillingfunctions thereof, said wheels and brake tooth means being arranged toprovide the entire groundengaging support for the cultivator.

8. A walking cultivator comprising: a frame assembly providing aforwardly positioned motor mount, a rearwardly positioned hitch, acontrol handle extending rearwardly of the hitch, and atransversely-centered flat-sided drive housing located between andextending higher and lower than both the hitch and motor mount;laterally extending shafts journal-mounted in the upper and lower endsof the drive housing; a motor carried by the motor mount; means fortransferring power from the motor to the upper said, shaft;

' means in the drive housing for transferring power from the upper shafttothe lower shaft; axiallyaligned tined earthworking wheels driven bythe lower shaft at opposite sides of the drive housing and each adaptedto perform both tractive and tilling functions; and brake tooth meansdepending from the bitch and adapted to be urged into the ground'tovarious depths by downward pressure exerted on the control handle Whilethe cultivator is being steered to create a variable braking forcewhereby the power to the wheels is selectively apportioned between thesaid tractive and tilling functions thereof; said wheels and brake toothmeans being arranged to provide the entire ground-engaging support forthe cultivator.

9. A walking cultivator comprising; a frame assembly providing a motormount, a rearwardly positioned hitch, a control handle extendingrearwardly of the hitch, and a transversely-centered drive housinglocated forwardly'of the hitch and extending lower than both the hitchand motor mount; upper and lower shafts journal-mounted in the upper andlower ends of the drive housing with the lower shaft extendinglaterally; a motor carried on the motor mount; drive means including aflexible drive for transferring power from the motor to the upper saidshaft; a reduction drive in the drive housing for transferring power ata reduced speed from the upper to the lower shaft; axially-aligned tinedearthworking wheels driven by the lower shaft at opposite sides of thedrive housing and located lower than the motor mount, each said wheelbeing adapted to perform both tractive and tilling functions; and braketooth means depending from the hitch and adapted to be urged into theground to various depths by downward pressure exerted on the controlhandle while the cultivator is being steered to-create a variablebraking force whereby the power, to the wheels is selectivelyapportioned between the said tractive and tilling functions thereof;said wheels and brake tooth means being arranged-to provide the entireground-engagin support for the cultivator.

10. A Walking cultivator comprising a frame providing a transverselycentered and longitudinally extending opening having its sides definedby. flat opposed vertical faces, a flat-sided drive housing secured withits flat sides between and in abutment with said fiat faces andprojecting by its upper and lower ends above and below said faces, apower unit mounted on saidframe, axiallyaligned ground-engaging wheels journal-mounted at the lower end of the drive housing and positioned atthe opposite sides thereof, and means for transferring power from thepower unit to the upper end of the drive housing andirom there downthrough the housing to the wheels.

CLAYTON B. MERRY.

Number Name 'Date 874,268 Waterman Dec. 17, 1907 1,046,921 "jWhite'ec;'10, 1912 1,416,993 Stephens May-23, 1922 10 1,744,597 Vasc once1losJ an .21",1930 1,751,694 Glasier 1 Mar. 25, 1930 1,944,789 Gravely Jan.23,1934 2,176,261 Kelsey Oct.'17,'1939 2,211,250: Donald Aug; 13, 194015 2,250,391; Ober July 22,1941 2,388,553 A Kraus Nov. 6,19452,491,8921' Claus Dec. 2'0, '1949 FORE GN A S 4 1 20' Number countr'Date 727,895 1 Germany Nov. 14, 1942 611,458 '(ErreatBritain' l Oct.29,1943

U v. F F B N E CIT D, r lThelfollowing references are of recordin thefile of this patent:

UNITEDSTATES PATENTS

